Tradegy
by VolleyballChick687
Summary: Annabeth Chase feels like she is living a dream, until it turns to be a nightmare. Just a Percabeth one-shot in honor of the recent bombings at the Boston Marathon.


**Okay so this is my first fic, in honor of those injured in the recent tragedy at Boston. Any reviews would make my day. **

I pulled my phone out and I sent a quick text to my girlfriend Annabeth. "Good luck babe. Run fast -Percy xox". She was just getting ready to run the Boston Marathon, for which she had been training for for months. Everyone knew that it has been her dream since she was a little kid, and now Annabeth was finally pursuing it.

My plan was to follow her though out the race, and watch her from certain checkpoints that I designated. I planned to watch my beautiful girlfriend start the race, meet her at the 10 mile mark, and then run with her at the end. The only twist was that I planned to propose to Annabeth after she crossed the line. We had been dating for 3 years now, and we both wanted this.

I shook my long, black hair out if my eyes and slammed to door to our apartment that we shared.

Annabeth had left today at 4:30 in the morning to warm up and sign in, and as much as I loved her, I needed to sleep and promised to meet her there.

While driving, I hummed along to the radio softly, and thought of my gorgeous girlfriend. We had been best friends since we were twelve, and I finally had the guts to ask her out when we were both in college at age 19. We have been going strong since then. Some people may say that eventually we will get tired of each other, but I know that's impossible.

I pulled into a parking garage reserved for the race and traveled up until I was on the 6th floor. After swiftly parking my car, I gathered my "Go ANNABETH" posters and ran towards the starting line. I pushed past the millions of other family and friends of the runners. I glanced down at my watch with my sea green eyes. 9:04. I just had enough time to meet up with my friend Grover, who came to watch Annabeth, and witness the start of the Boston Marathon at 9:30.

"Percy! Come on bro," I immediately recognized the voice coming from Grover, and turned towards him. We did our quick handshake that we have had since we were 8, and then a quick man-hug. "Do you have the ring?" Grover asked me as we walked towards the starting line.

"Of course I do. I triple checked while driving here," I tried to laugh off my nervousness and my hand came down to my pocket where the ring was. Even though we both loved each other, I was still terrified that she would say no.

"Don't worry man. She'll say yes. I promise you," he reassured me. We had just arrived at place where all of the runners were getting their numbers and lining up. I saw my Wise Girl struggling with her number on the back. Her curly blonde hair was up in a tight pony tail that reached her shoulders. She was wearing a tight purple tank top, and matching gray shorts.

I snuck up behind her and wrapped my arms around her tiny stomach, and fastened the pins to her shirt, making sure the paper number wouldn't fall off in the midst of running. She stiffened under my touch, but relaxed and leaned back into my chest when she recognized it was me, not some stranger.

"I was getting worried you overslept Seaweed Brain. Didn't want you to miss this you know," Annabeth joked. I pressed a light kiss to the top of her head.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world. Now fun fast and I'll meet you at the end with a surprise," I stated and winked, then walked slowly away, leaving a confused Annabeth behind me.

Grover and I went to find a seat on the crowded bleachers and waited for a pistol shot to signal the start. After about 20 minutes of waiting, we listened to a speech then we all counted down from 10, and the runners all took off. The competitive runners were at the front if the pack, and Annabeth was in the middle of the group. She started off at a good pace, and already started passing some other runners from all over the country. I stood up and watched her go, until she took a left turn, and went out of sight.

Grover and I shoved our way past the other spectators here, and went to take the shortcut to the 10 mile mark. While walking, we literally ran into a nice lady named Juniper, who was here to watch her brother. She sat next to us in the stands, and Grover immediately starts flirting with the girl. Now that I can get a better look, I notice that she looks to be about 20 or so, and had pale green eyes, and vibrant green streaks in her hair. I felt like the third wheel with the two lovebirds, so I took out my iPhone and texted my mom, and started to scroll through Facebook. Before I knew it, the first runners started running past us. Everyone stood up clapping and cheering for the runners. We continued cheering and I personally waited for Annabeth. I check my watch and noted that if she was on perfect pace, she should pass us any minute.

I waited anxiously for a few minutes and started getting worried. She should be here already. Just as I was about to go check on her, she came running into sight, almost sprinting. She knew that she had to make up some time. I waved my signs in the air and cheered extra loudly, like an obnoxious boyfriend should. She briefly glanced at me, and blew me a kiss. I smiled, showing my pearly white teeth.

After Annabeth passed us, Grover and I left this area and headed towards the finish line, but not before Grover could get Juniper's number. After we split up with her, he was noticeably depressed.

"Cheer up bro. You'll text her in a few minutes," I laughed at his sadness. He quickly straightened up and walked faster. "Woah! Wait up!" I yelled after him and quickly caught up.

We arrived at the last leg of the race, and sat down, waiting to see some runners who must be tired by now. People slowly started trickling in, one by one. They cheered as the passed to finish line, which was decorated by different colored balloons. After waiting, I saw Annabeth running in the distance. Her hair was falling out all over the place, and she was dripping sweat, but her eyes looked determined. I couldn't help myself and ran towards her, to give her personal motivation.

Suddenly, time froze. I heared a loud explosion, sounding like a gun shot, but louder. I screamed and hit the ground, and my whole world rocked. I was thrown across the ground, and my skin scraped along the gravel. Everyone around me is yelling out in pain. I look around and see blood and lost limbs everywhere. I can taste the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. Just as I began to stand on my two feet, I hear another explosion go off down the trail. More screams follow. I seem to be fine, except for some scratches.

Annabeth. Annabeth. Annabeth. She overtakes my thoughts. I scream out for her and Grover, but my voice is lost in the screams from other frantic people. I start running towards where I last saw Annabeth running. I feel like throwing up when I look down at the ground. Pools of blood are forming around bodies. Everyone is screaming or crying. Medical personal and cops are quickly on the scene looking for the injured bodies.

"Percy," a strangled moan came from the ground. I drop on all fours and cradle Annabeth's bloody head in my arms. We are both sobbing freely, tears mixing with blood. Her left leg is twisted at an odd angle, and it is obviously broken. She had a gash along her rib cage, from a broken piece of glass. "I just want to finish!" Annabeth sobbed into my chest. "It's my dream." She choked out.

"Come here babe." I picked her frail body up bridal style, careful of her leg and side. She shakily lifted one arm around my neck, and tucked her face into my chest. I carried her towards the finish line of the legendary Boston Marathon. A medical official stopped us and wanted to take us to the hospital, but he would have to wait. I gave Annabeth a kiss on her temple, and then stepped over the line. A giant smile crossed her face. I knew she had completed her life goal.

Our moment of happiness was short-lived, because she passed out from blood loss and exhaustion. A woman came towards us with a stretcher and loaded her into an ambulance. I blew her unconscious body a kiss.

The driver of the ambulance told me to meet them at the closest hospital, and they would tend to my wounds there. I ran towards where my car was parked, carefully avoiding the bodies on the ground. Grover waved at me from where he was assisting Juniper and her brother. He gave me a nod, silently telling me to go on.

The drive to the hospital took longer than ever. Traffic was backed up and everyone was searching for loved ones. My mother had texted me several times, along with Annabeth's parents, and some other friends if ours who knew we were here. I made a mental note to call them all later.

I rushed into the hospital, but was guarded by police forces, who wouldn't let anyone in but patients. I argued with them for about 20 minutes, before they started to allow visitors to view their loved ones. The receptionists at the front desk, viciously typing on her keyboard, her glasses were perched on her nose.

"Annabeth Chase please. I need to see her as soon as possible," I spoke hastily.

"Let me check...One second," her fingers flew across the keyboard. "Ah, here we are. Let us see. Well it seems here that little Miss Annabeth just went through a surgery to fix her broken bone in her left leg. She seems to be recovering right now in room 4c. That's on the 3rd floor."

"Thank you so much ma'am. I am so worried," I spitted out to the receptionist, and ran quickly towards the elevator. It seemed like everyone else in the city of Boston wanted to go up, so we all crammed together. Slowly, we stopped at the first and second floor, where the more critical injuries were, and more people got off. When we arrived at the third floor, I maneuvered my way to the doors and started sprinting towards her room. 3c...4c! Here we are! As I turned the door handle, a nurse came out and collided with me.

"Is Annabeth in there?" I asked the young nurse.

"Yes, Ms. Chase is in there. She is resting now but you are welcome to be quiet and be with her. You are Percy right? Annabeth has been asking for you the whole time." she wrote things down on her clipboard as she spoke.

I nodded my head, but quickly turned away from her. I silently went through the door and saw my girlfriend lying in the hospital bed. The blood was washed away from her face, and she looked gorgeous.

I knelt down next to her body and lightly clutched her cold hand. Unwanted tears started streaming down my face. I found myself talking to her sleeping form in a hushed voice. "You didn't deserve this. This was supposed to be the best day of your life, and some terrible human being ruined it. But you did finish. And it's all going to be okay eventually. I promise," I cry again today. This is the most I have cried since I was 12. "I was supposed to propose to you today! It was all supposed to be perfect. I had the ring picked out and..." I stopped talking as she wiggled in her bed. Her startling gray eyes opened and she looked at me.

"I do. I'll marry you Percy. Any day of the week. I love you so much. This was the best day if my life because of you. Thank you baby," Annabeth's voice cracked multiple times when she talked, but I didn't even notice. I wrapped her into my arms and gave her a light kiss in the lips. She reached up and ran her fingers through my silky black hair.

It's amazing how such beautiful situations can come from the pits of despair. This terrible journey that I took today taught me to believe, and it will be okay.


End file.
